Separator.



Patented om. I4, |902. R. w. JESSUP. SEPARATDB. Apimcazion med Jan. e,1902.)

MIMI

TN: Noam: crans co'. marcnrmo., wAsHINmou. u. c.

(No Model.)

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. JESSUP, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO SPIRAL BELTSEPARATOR CO., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA-A CORPORA- TION OFCALIFORNIA.

SEPARATOR.

SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 710,983, dated October14, 1902.

Application led January 6,1902. Serial No88,581 (No model.)

To rtl?, whom, it 11mg/ concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. JEssUP, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same.

My invention relates to that class of separators for grains and othersmall seeds in which an endless traveling screen is employed.

In a pending application, Serial No. 77,382, filed October 3, 1901, Ishow a separator in which the flexible screen is mounted to form ahangingV loop or bight, and a feeder is arranged to deliver the materialto said loop or bight. My present invention involves improvements inthis machine; and the object of these improvements is to adapt themachine to suit the varying conditions of the different materialsoperated upon and the different degrees of separation to suitcircumstances, as I shall hereinafter explain.

My invention consists in means for varying the width of the loop orbight of the screen, means for varying its depth, means for varying theinclination of the uprising side of the screen, means for regulating thefeed of the material, and generally in the novel disposition of thescreen and of the several parts of the separator, all as I shall nowfully describe by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure l is a vertical section of my separator. Fig. 2 is a side view ofsame, partly broken. Fig. 3 is a top view of hopper K.

A is the frame of the machine. In the upper portion of the frame ismounted the driveroller B, Which is provided with pins h, engaging thescreenmesh and insuring the travel of the screen.

C is an endless liexible screen. It may be of any suitable character;but the form of 45 the screen which I deem the best is a screen made offreely-interlaced spiral wires, forming what is commonly known as spiralfabric. This screen is a flexible one, and as I have fully illustratedit in my previous ap- 5o plication above referred to it is unnecessaryto further describe it or to illustrate it in detail, as itsconstruction forms no part of my invention, the only essential of thescreen being that it be flexible, which qualification is sufficientlyherein shown by its course. The course of this screen, as here shown, isdownward to its lower portion, Where it forms a hanging loop or bght c,thence upwardly, forming an inclined portion c', thence a return portionc2 to the driver-roller, from which it is suspended and which causes itto travel in the direction indicated by the arrows. On the down-movingside the screen is guided and prevented from swaying by the guide-stripD, carried by frame A. On the opposite or uprising sideof the bight orloop aguide strip or bar E denes the Width of said loop or bight and.changes the course of the screen to the inclined portion c'. At the headof this inclined portion a'guide-strip F again changes the course of thescreen-on its return to the driver-roller B.

Mounted in the upper portion of the frame A is a roller G, provided Withpins g, which, entering the screen-meshes, clear them of any cloggingparticles. This roller is mounted in boxes g in sucha manner that theroller rests by gravity upon the screen, thereby constantly engaging itand clearing its meshes.

In frame A is mounted a tightener-bar H, which is adapted to slidetoward or from the driver-roller and though pressing on the screen allthe time is adapted by its movement and adjustment to vary the depth ofthe loop or bight c. Y v f The guide strip or bar E, which denes theWidth of the loop or bight of the screen, is made adjustable in adirection toward or from the fixed guide 2D on the other side, therebyvarying the Width of said loop'or bight. For example, if the bar E bemoved closer to the guide D the Width of the loop or bight will bediminished. It' it be moved back, the loop or bight will be widened.Though the bar E may be made adjustable in any suitable manner, I havehere shown a practical construction as consisting of a triangular frameI, in the front of which said bar E is carried. This frame I is providedwith Vslots t' in its ends, which receive thumb-screws t', whereby theframe may be set when adjusted. This frame IOO I also carries at its topan inclined table J, c

which lies under the inclined portion c' of the screen, said tableterminating at its foot just short of the bar E, whereby an opening atis left for the discharge of such particles as may fall throughtheinclined portion of the screen upon said table.

The guide-strip F, which terminates the inclined portion c of thescreen, is mounted adjustably in frame A and is adapted to be moved outor in by thumb-screws f or other means, and this adjustment of saidstrip F provides for varying the inclination of said inclined portion cof the screen.

Though for the mere purpose of directing the course of the endlesstraveling screen the guide E and the tightener H might come in directcontact with the screen, I find it best to provide each of said barswith strips or pieces which make contact with the screen and in additionto guiding it agitate it as well. These agitators are shown at e onguide-bar E and at h on tightener-bar H, and they may be of any suitablecharacter which by contact with the traveling screen will shake oragitate said screen. Vulcanized fiber or vulcanized rubber serve asproper materials for these agitator-strips e and h. Hard-wood will alsoserve, the idea being to employ some material capable of standing thefrictional wear and hard enough to resist the blows or impacts of theraised surfaces or ridges of the spiral-fabric screen as theysuccessively drag past in contact with the strips. The travel past thesestrips in contact therewith of the uneven-surfaced spiral-fabric screenand the resistance of said strips thereto cause the necessary agitationof the screen.

Secured to frame A is a fixed feed-hopper K, the throat of which isprovided with a flange le.

L is a feed-chute, the upper end of which has a ange Z, which forms withthe hopperflange a loose connection or joint of a telescopic nature,which will permit the inclination of the chute to be varied, whilepreserving its communication with the hopper. The chute L extends downat an inclination, and its discharge end terminates within the loop orbight c of the screen C, entering the open side thereof. The chute L ismade adjustable in order to vary its inclination. For this purpose itmaybe mounted in any suitable manner. The way here shown is by means ofa slot Z in the chute and a thumb-screw Z2, entering said slot and theframe A. Though in some cases the chute L may discharge directlyinto theloop or bight, I iind it better to interpose an adjustable delivery orregulator spout M. This spout consists of a piece of iiexiblematerial-rubber, leather, o.r other material*which, lying in the loop orbight, is adapted to conform itself to said loop or bight and to thevarious changes in its contour due to the several adjustments heretoforedescribed. This delivery-spout lies upon the screen'within its loop orbight and directly -under the discharge end of the feed-chute L,

ness. `through the screen; but the thinner partiycles are thin enough topass through if their length will permit. generally too long for themesh, and if they lie flat they will bridge the spaces and will not passth rough. By continually lifting the `mass and turning it over and over,as is done the rear or outer end of said spout having a Wall m toprevent the material from getting out at said end. Now by making thisspout adjustable-that is, adapted to move transversely of the loop orbight farther in or farther out-the feed of the material can beregulated to suit circumstances, as I shall presently explain. It may berendered adjustable in any suitable manner. struction is that hereshown-namely, a bar N, to which said spout is secured, said bar beingtongued and grooved into the base of guide D and provided with slots n,through which pass set-screws 'n' into frame A.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The screen, as beforestated, travels in the direction indicated by the arrows. The materialbeing led to the hopper K passes the flanges 1c and Zand flows down thechute L to the regulator-spout M. When the chute L is at a given pitch,the material retarded by the flanges la and Zis led by its natural flowto the edge of the spout M; but if a small feed be desired the slidingbar N is drawn back, thus drawing the regulator-spout M back until thefeed is satisfactory. On the other hand, an increase of feed is obtainedby moving or adjusting` the spout M farther into the screen loop orbight. If the material fed be wheat and a change to coarser material isdesired, the chute L is raised at its upper end to change itsinclination and the regulatorspout M is adjusted back toward the screenedge. The separation takes place in the loop or bight of the screen bythe continual rolling action of the mass, the movement of which over andover is insured by the iiexible loop clinging to the mass on three sidesand continually lifting it on the uprising side and turning it over,whereby the smaller particles drop through the screen-meshes, while thelarger particles work along to the edge of the screen and aredischarged, as I have described in my prior application above referredto. Now if the guide strip or bar E which defines the width of the loopor bight be adjusted inwardly-that is,toward the screen-by slidinginwardly the triangular frame I it Will narrow said loop or bight, andthis adjustment has the eect of causing more of the long particles ofthe material to end up and pass through the screen. On the other hand,if by adjusting the frame I and the bar E back in the other directionthe loop or bight be increased in width less of these long particlesWill pass through. This will be readily understood if the principle ofseparation carried out herein be regarded. The particles to be separateddiffer in length and thick- The thicker particles Will not pass Thesethin particles are A good con- IIO very positively and effectively bythe flexible loop or bight, these long slim particles are upended by theuprising side of the loop,- and in this position they Will pass through.Now if the loop be a Wide one its change from its bottom to its uprisingside will not be very sharp. In the bottom the long slim particles liefiat, and with a wide loop the mass will be gently carried around thecurve to the uprising side and will slip back again Without much turningor rolling over. Consequently the particles Will retain their relativepositions and the least number of the long particles will be upended. Onthe other hand, if the loop be a narrow one the change from the bottomto the uprising side is abrupt. The eifect of this sharp abrupt turn isto cause the loop to cling more closely to the mass, and its uprisingside will more forcibly carry up the mass and to the greatest height andWill turn it more completely. In this turning and change of the relativepositions of the particles the greatest number of long particles will beupended. Between these limits the adjustment of the loop maybe variousto suit the particular material to be separated. Thus the degree orcharacter of the separation may be varied to suit conditions, and afurther variation may be had by varying the depth of the loop or bight.This regulation is effected by the adjustment of the tightener-bar IIabove. Any particles which drop through the inclined portion c of thescreen are caught upon the table .I and are directed thereby to theopeningj at the foot and are discharged through said opening. By settingin or out the guide-strip F the inclination of the inclined portion c'of the screen may be varied as may be desired for the particularseparation required. The pins of the roller G clear the screen-meshes ofclogging particles,the roller adjustingitself by gravity to the screen.The agitators c and 7L serve to keep the screen in constant agitation toassist the separation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A separatorconsisting of an endless traveling iiexible screen, meansfor supporting the screen to form a hanging loop or bight,a feederarranged to deliver material to said hanging loop or bight, and meansfor varying the width of said loop or bight, substantially as described.

2. Aseparator consistingofan endless traveling fiexible screen, meansfor snpportingthe screen to form a hangingloop or bight,a feederarranged to deliver material to said hanging loop or bight, andadjustable means for varying the Width of said loop or bight,substantially as described.

3. Aseparatorconsistingofan endless traveling flexible screen, means forsupporting the same to form a hanging loop or bight, oppositely-disposedguides Afor defining said loop or bight, means for relatively adjustingsaid guides, and a feeder adapted to deliver material to the loop orbight, substantially as described.

4. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a feeder arranged to delivermaterial to said hangingloop or bight, and an adjustable bar withagitators in contact with said lo'op or bight, and adapted to define andadjust its Width and to shake the screen. f

5. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, and thence guided at an inclineon its uprising side, an adjustable frame having a guide adapted todefine and vary the width of said loop or bight, and having also a tablelying under the incline of said screen, and a feeder arranged to delivermaterial to said hanging loop or bight.

G. Aseparatorconsistingof an endless traveling flexible screen, meansfor supporting the same to form a hanging loop or bight, guiding devicesabove said loop or bight adapted to cause the screen to travel at aninclination on its uprising side, and a feeder adapted to delivermaterial to the hanging loop or bight, substantially as described.

7. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling, iiexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, and thence guided at an inclineon its uprising side, an adjustable guide to vary the inclination of thescreen on said side, an adjustable guide defining and adapted to varythe Width of said loop or bight, and a feeder arranged to delivermaterial to said loop or bight.

8. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, and thence guided at an inclineon its uprising side, an adjustable TOO guide to vary the inclination ofthe screen on said side, an adjustable guide defining and adapted tovary the width of said loop or bight, an adjustable table or chute underthe inclined side of the screen, and a feeder arranged to delivermaterial to said hanging loop or bight.

9. A separator consisting of an endless traveling flexible screen, meansfor supporting the same to form a hanging loop or bight, a guide for thescreen arranged above the loop or bight, means for adjusting said guideto vary the depth of the loop or bight, and a feeder adapted to delivermaterial to the hanging loop or bight, substantially as described.

l0. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling dexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, an adjustable guide deliningand adapted to vary the Width of said loop or bight, a second adjustableguide for said screen, and adapted, by its adjustment, to vary the depthof said loop or bight, and a feeder arranged to deliver the material tosaid hanging loop or bight.

ll. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a IIOl hanging loop or bight, a feeder-chute adapted todeliver the material to said loop or bight, said chute being adjustableto vary its inclination.

12. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling, exible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop orbight, a feed-hopper, a feederchute,adjustably mounted to vary its inclination, and adapted to deliver thematerial to the hanging loop or bight, and a yielding connection betweenthe chute and hopper adapted to permit the change in inclination of thechute While preserving the communication of said chute With the hopper.

13. A separator consisting of an endless, traveling, exible screenmounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a feed-hopper, afeederchute,'adjustably mounted to vary its inclination, and adapted todeliver the material to the hanging loop or bight, and the yieldingconnection between the chute and hopper consisting of the freely-interengagin g or telescopic flanges.

14. A separator, consisting of au endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a feeder-chute entering saidloop or bight, and an adjustable, delivery or regulator spout, lying inthe. loop or bight, and adapted to receive the material from thefeeder-chiite, and to discharge it into the loop or bight, at desiredpoints.

15. A separator, consisting of au endless, traveling, iiexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a feeder-chute entering saidloop or bight, and an adjustable, delivery or regulator spout, lying inthe loop or bight and adapted to receive the material from thefeeder-chute, and to discharge it into the loop or bight, at desiredpoints, said regulator-spoutbeing of a iiexible nature, adapted toconform its contour, to that of said loop or bight.

1G. A separator, consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, means for guiding such hangingloop or bight, means adjacent said guiding means for varying the Widthof said loop or bight, a feeder-chute entering said loop or bight, andan adjustable, delivery or regulator spout, lying in the loop or bightand adapted to receive the material from the feeder-chiite, and todischarge it into the loop or bight, at desired points, lsaidregulatorspout being of a flexible nature, adapted to conform itscontour, to that of said loop or bight.

17. A separator, consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a iixed guide for thedown-moving .side of the screen, an adjustable frame carried by saidguide, and having a iieXi-ble piece, forming a delivery or regulatorspout, lying in and conforming to the bight or loop, and adjustabletransversely therein, and a feeder-chute adapted to deliver the materialto said spout.

1S. A separator, consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a fixed guide for thedown-moving side of the screen, an adjustable frame carried by saidguide, and having a flexible piece, forming a delivery or regulatorspout, lying in and conforming to the bight or loop, and adjustabletransversely therein, and afeeder-chute adapted to deliver the materialto said spout, said chute being adjustable to vary its inclination.

19. A separator, consisting of an endless, traveling, iiexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a driving-roller suspendingsaid screen, a fixed guide for the down-moving side of the screen, anadjustable guide, with agitators, defining and varying the Width of saidloop or bight, an adjustable guide to vary the inclination of theuprising side of the screen, an adjustable table, under said inclinedside, a gravity-roller with mesh-clearing pins, engaging the screenabove said guide, an adjustable guide, with agitators, bearing on thescreen, to vary the depth of the loop or bight, and a feeder arranged todeliver the material to said loop or bight.

20. A separator, consisting of an endless, traveling, flexible screen,mounted to form a hanging loop or bight, a driving-roller suspendingsaid screen, a fixed guide for the down-moving side o f the screen, anadjustable guide, with agitators, dening and varying the Width of saidloop or bight, an adjustable guide to vary the inclination of theuprising side of the screen, an adjustable table under said inclinedside, a gravity-roller with mesh-clearing pins engaging the screen abovesaid guide, an adjustable guide, with agitators, bearing on the screen,to vary the depth of the loop or bight, a iixed hopper, an adjustablefeeder-chute communicating with said hopper and adapted to have itsinclination varied, and a flexible delivery or regulator spout,adjustable transversely in the loop or bight of the screen, and adaptedto receive the material from the chute, and to deliver it to the loop orbight.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

y ROBERT W. JESSUP.

Witnesses:

C. W. GRAsHo, L. I-I. BRAND.

IIS'

